Rosengarten trek – Dolomites – 4 days
Level: Mostly T3
Period: End June – mid September
The Rosengarten Trek is a spectacular and challenging multi-day hike in The Rosengarten (Catinaccio) massif in the Italian Dolomites. Rosengarten means ‘Rose Garden’ in German. It is located in Northern Italy between Val di Fassa (in Trentino) and Eggenstal (in South Tyrol).
The route and the hiking times as listed below is as we have hiked it. However, there are many huts on this route, so you can stay overnight in several places and plan your own route.
On this hut hike, you will traverse a mountain pass every day. These passes are steep to even very steep, with several sections with cables. As a result, this is not a trek for novice hikers or people who are afraid of heights.
Day 1: Take the gondola from Carezza/Karersee to the Paolinahütte. Hike to the Kölnerhütte/Rifugio Fronza alle Coronelle (level T2 – route 552 and 549). Hike via the ‘Passo delle Coronelle’ (route 550, level T3 with small parts T4) to Rifugio Vajolet – 8 km, 4:30, ↑ 700 m, ↓ 600 m. We stayed overnight in the Paolinahütte and started our hike the next day.
Note: the Passo delle Coronelle is very steep, especially the initial section from the Kölnerhütte. It is level T3, with a small section T4. This section is secured with several cables.
Day 2: Hike from Rifugio Vajolet via route 584 to the Grasleitenpasshütte/Rifugio Bergamo (level T2). This is a lovely hut to have lunch or delicious cake. Then walk via Passo di Antermoia to Rifugio Antermoia – 5.5 km, 4:00, ↑ 550 m, ↓ 300 m. This hut is set among high peaks next to a beautiful lake – lago Antermoia. The Passo di Antermoia is steep, but doable (level T3).
Day 3: Hike from Rifugio Antermoia to the spectacular Santnerpasshütte, via Rifugio Vajolet and Rifugio Re Alberto/Gartlhütte – 7 km, 5:00, ↑ 800 m, ↓ 600 m. Note: the hike from Rifugio Vajolet to Rifugio Re Alberto/Gartlhütte is very steep. It is level T3, maybe even T4. This section is secured with long stretches of cables. However, there are also steep sections in between that are not fitted with cables. If it rains, this section can get very slippery.
Day 4: Descend steeply to Rifugio Vajolet and descend further on an easy path to Rifugio Ciampedie – 7 km, 3:00, ↑ 100 m, ↓ 800 m. At Rifugio Ciampedie, take the gondola to Vigo di Fassa. Return to Carezza/Karersee by bus (line 180).
Good to know: The Paolina hut has drinking water, in the other huts you will have to buy drinking water (about €3 per litre). You can charge your equipment in all huts.
